Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay must protect a child princess on a pilgrimage before she can become queen, and learn that she has dangerous enemies threatening her life.

Colonel John Sheppard and Dr. Rodney McKay visit one of their favorite planets, where they toast a long-time trading partnership. Their hosts are two beautiful and charming princesses, Flora and Mardola. As palace guards stand nearby, they thank John and Rodney for their life-saving medicine, their warnings about a Wraith culling, and their kindness. The two men are obviously smitten.

But as they prepare to leave, the women bring themselves to ask for a favor. They have a younger sister named Harmony, who they introduce to Sheppard and McKay. With their mother the Queen having recently died, Harmony is the heir to the throne -- but before she can be crowned, she must pass a dangerous test and trek a day's walk into the forest, to the Temple of Laros. While others are generally not permitted to assist in the rite of passage, the concerned older sisters wish Sheppard and McKay to protect Harmony from danger without the others knowing.

They are happy enough to oblige, and head into the woods with the strong-willed girl. It isn't long before danger finds them -- but it's not lions, tigers, or bears. There is a Genii contingent on the planet, and the deadly soldiers seem to be trying to prevent Harmony from ascending to the throne. Though they manage to take out some of the men, they must stay on the run ... and keep young Harmony alive.

The Genii's motives are not solely their own, however. They are working with one of Harmony's sisters.

PRODUCTION

The title character, Harmony, is played by 12-year-old actress Jodelle Ferland. Ferland played Adria at 7 years old in the Stargate SG-1 Season Ten premiere, "Flesh and Blood." Her long list of film and television credits also includes Masters of Horror, Supernatural, Smallville, and the 2006 film "Silent Hill."

Actress Crystal Lowe, who plays Harmony's older sister Mardola, made her Stargate debut as Nya all the way back in the Stargate SG-1 Season One episode "Emancipation."

That's not all of the Stargate SG-1 alumni! David Richmond-Peck, who plays the conspiring leader of the Genii contingent, first played the glassy-eyed commander of the Jaffa work camp in Season Seven's "Orpheus."

"Will did a masterful job on 'Harmony.' I LOVE this episode. I can't say enough great things about Jodelle Ferland's performance. Her interactions with the boys is both hilarious and touching." (Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)

"[Jodelle Ferland's] role is so important in tonight's episode that Martin [Gero] told me they didn't even start writing the episode until they knew Jodelle was available and willing to play the part. That's how difficult it is finding an 11-year-old who can really act. In fact, she was such a super pro she typically had all the other character's lines memorized as well!

"The show was shot several hours' drive from our studio, at Widgen Provincial Park. It was so far away that for a few days we had to put our cast and crew up in hotels. But the benefits are gorgeous shots of vistas and scenery, the likes of which you've never seen on our show before." (Script coordinator Alex Levine, in a message at his SciFi.com blog)

Look for executive producer Joseph Mallozzi's behind-the-scenes photos and video from the forest location shoot at his blog.